Babe Ruth Softball Hits A Homer For Sunrise Cottage

This past weekend, Ridgefield Babe Ruth Softball hit a home run for Sunrise Cottage as the girls fastpitch softball organization hosted the Second Annual Sunrise Cottage Benefit Softball Tournament on the Veterans Park and Ridgefield High School softball fields. 

Babe Ruth Softball and Sunrise Cottage board member Pete Casazza presented Sunrise Cottage President John Loehr with a $3,400 check, the tournament's total profits.

"I have been a Ridgefield Sunrise Cottage board member for five years, and have witnessed the benefits the Cottage has had on the personal growth of its residents.  Ridgefield Babe Ruth Softball is proud to help the Cottage," Casazza said. 

On hand to throw out the ceremonial first pitches were Ridgefield First Selectman Rudy Marconi and the Sunrise Cottage residents witnessed by the Cottage's board members, players, friends and family.

The tournament featured twelve teams in the 12U and 14U division, including the host, Ridgefield Rebels, as well as Darien Tidal Wave, East Hartford Diamond Crushers, Milford Tigers, New Canaan, Norwalk Riptide, Southbury Heat, Southington Lightning and the Wolcott Magic.

The Southington Lightning won the 12U division title over the Norwalk Riptide in a 5-4 battle while the East Hartford Diamond Crushers defeated the Wolcott Magic in a thrilling 5-4 victory in the bottom of the seventh inning with two outs.

Both Ridgefield Rebels teams played well in their first 2010 tournament. The 12U team in their consolation final game routed the 13-1 Milford Tigers behind the strong bats of Chrissy Casazza, Meghan Hyatt, Clair Phelan and Ally Rauccio. Leah Phelan was outstanding behind the plate throughout the entire weekend.

The Rebels 14U team finished the tournament with a 1-2-1 record. The team was lead by Alana Hill, Amanda Scammon, Erika Osherow, Felicia Nadel, Morgan Sanchez and Rachel Barton.

Their game with the Wolcott Magic was 1-0 battle until the last out of the game. In the Magic's bottom of the seventh inning with a runner on second base, the Magic's batter bunted the ball, which was fielded by pitcher Osherow who threw the ball to second baseman Nadel who was covering first base. Nadel then ran the runner back towards third and flipped the ball to Osherow. In a daring move during the flip, the Magic's coach sent the runner home, where she was nailed at the plate by Scammon on a throw from Osherow to end the game on a rare double play.

Ridgefield Babe Ruth Softball is already making plans for the Third Annual Sunrise Cottage Benefit Softball Tournament while looking forward to the balance of the 2010 softball season.

Cary Nadel is president of Ridgefield Babe Ruth Softball.